South Asian Playwrights\' Programme – National Theatre of Scotland in Edinburgh

This programme recognises that South Asian writers face specific barriers to developing their craft and accessing a ladder of progression to professional production opportunities, barriers which are rooted in a history of marginalisation and systemic underinvestment in artists of South Asian heritage by predominantly white-led organisations. It has been designed for writers who have already written at least one full-length stage play (50 mins +), but not yet received more than one professional funded production of their work (or had a production at PPP), and would benefit from professional artistic and dramaturgical support in their development as a writer.

South Asian Playwrights’ Programme is a collaboration between the National Theatre of Scotland, Glasgow Lunchtime Theatre, Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland and Bijli Productions.

The Offer

Each selected writer will receive a fee of £2,750 towards the writing of a first draft of a new 50 min play, for a maximum of 3 performers. This fee is in addition to the license fee which will be paid by Glasgow Lunchtime Theatre on production. The play is to be written across 2/3 development stages with the following support:

• Dramaturgy from the partners, and a trainee dramaturg from the South Asian artist community. This dramaturgical support will include verbal and written feedback on each draft to support your decisions around structure, characters, narrative arc etc.
• A paid day-long workshop on a development draft of your new play with a professional cast and director.
• An additional paid day of development on your full first draft, culminating in a rehearsed reading in front of a small, private, non-paying audience, to provide you with additional professional and audience feedback.

Directors and performers for development stages will all be Scotland-based and selected in line with the characters, themes and skills required for each play.

Applicants must:

• be 18 years+
• not currently be in full-time education
• be based in Scotland
• identify as South Asian or of mixed/South Asian heritage
• have not had a play produced at A Play, A Pie and A Pint
• have not had more than one fully funded professional production

Please note that this opportunity is aimed at individual writers, rather than those writing collaboratively. By professional production we mean productions where the full cast and creative team and crew were paid at least union minimum rates.

How To Apply

This opportunity will be selected through an open call. You will need to submit:

• a complete full-length play (50 mins + when read out loud) as an example of your work. You can submit an existing play, already considered for A Play, A Pie and A Pint through the PSS reading service or via the David MacLennan Award open call, as this example of your work.
• a short pitch (no more than 2 pages) for a new play you would like to write for A Play, A Pie and A Pint under this programme. For the avoidance of doubt, your idea must be different from the play you submit as an example of your writing.
• a brief biography outlining your writing and theatre experience to date.

Please note: Writers do not have to write about South Asian themes, experiences or specifically for Scottish South Asian audiences.

Application Deadline | Mon 16 March

Outcomes communicated in early April 2026.

How Will the Selection Be Made?

Writers will be selected by representatives of each partner organisation. Writers will be selected on the strength of their idea for a new play and their existing writing skills.